Safety chuck key with ejector means



Nov. 24, 1953 T."J. DOSSIE SAFETY CHUCK KEY WITH EJECTOR MEANS Filed April 26. 1952 INVENTOR .THOMAS J. DOSS\E ATl 'ORN Patented Nov. 24, 1953 UNITED STAT OFFICE SAFETY CHUCK KEY WITH EJECTOR MEANS 2 Claims.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig; l is a side and sectional view of one form of key which I employ with parts of the construction broken away; and

Figs. 2, 3 and flare views, similar to l,

showing other adaptations of my invention.

With keys of the type and kind under consideration, the key is manually placed in the socket to be engaged by the key to rotate a chuck or other part to move the same into tightened or loosened positions and, quite often, with keys of the usual type and kind, an operator forgets to remove the key, particularly after tightening a chuck or other device, with the result that the key is rotated with the chuck and thrown by i centrifugal force, causing accidents and injury.

The purpose of my invention is to provide keys of the type and kind under consideration having yieldable plunger means placed under tension in the operation of moving the key into operative position. and automatically operating to displace or unoouple the key when pressure of the hand is released from the key, producing what might be termed an automatic kick-out key.

In Fig. l of the drawing, I have illustrated one adaptation of my invention, wherein a key body It is employed having a transverse handle H at one end portion and a bevelled gear or pinion portion H2 at the other end, the gear or pinion portion forming the means for establishing coupling engagement with a chuck or other device in the operation of rotating the same to tighten or loosen the chuck.

The body Ml also includes a projecting pin portion l3 centrally of the gear key l2. The body it has, longitudinally thereof and at one side of the axis of said body, a large diameter bore 14 opening through the face of the gear key l2 in a small diameter bore IS, the latter partially extending through the pin 53, as seen at I6.

Mounted in the bores it, it is a plunger ii, the large diameter portion 58 of which seats in the bore it and the small diameter portion !9 of which seats in the bore l5 and is normally projected beyond the outer surface of the key gear I2 byaspring 20. I

I also preferably employ a guide pin 25, one end of which operates in an aperture 22 of the plunger I1 and the other end has a head 23 which bears upon the handle l 1..

With this construction, as well as with the structures shown in Figs. 3 and 4, it will be apparent that the plunger mechanism, including the spring, is assembled in the body of the key, after which the handle member is placed in position and fixed to the body of the key in any desired manner. With the construction shown in Fig. 1, it will be apparent that, in. inserting the key into the chuck or other device, the end Id of the plunger is engaged and pressed inwardly against the action of the spring 2% in bringing the key gear it into operative engagement with the keying means of the chuck. The key is held under the tension of the spring 2! in the operative position, while the key is actuated. Upon com" pleting the operation of the key, the plunger i? will automatically operate to displace or eject the key from the chuck or other device.

In Fig. 2 of the drawing, I have shown a modified form of key, wherein the key body ii is generally the same as the body Iii, as is also the handle H and gear key it and pin It. However, insteadof using the plunger ll, a plunger sleeve 24 is employed, the sleeve having bores 25 and 26 at opposed ends and divided by an annular inwardly extending flange portion 27?. The flange seats upon or is freely movable on the body Ill. The bore 26 is sufficiently large to receive the gear key l2 and a collar 23 fits within the outer end. portion of the bore 25 and bears against the handle member ll.

Between the collar 28 and the flange 21 is disposed a coil spring 29 tensioned to normally support the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing with the outer end portion of the sleeve 24 enveloping the key gear l2. It will be understood that, in moving the key into operative position, the sleeve 24 will be moved in the direction of the handle member II against the action of the spring 29. Here again, upon releasing the pressure of moving the key into operative position, the sleeve 24 will automatically displace the key from the chuck or other device.

In Fig. 3 of the drawing, I have shown another adaptation of my invention, where a key body 30 is employed having, at one end portion, a square, hexagon or other irregular cross-sectional key portion 3] and a handle member 32 at the other end of said body. Here again, the key body 30 has an elongated large diameter bore 33 opening through the handle end of the body and registering with a smaller diameter bore 34 which opens through the key end portion 3.|. In. the bores 33, 34 is disposed a plunger 35 having a large diameter inner end 36 operating in the bore 33 and a smaller diameter or pin end portion 31: operating in the bore 34, the latter end portion being normally projected, as shown in Fig. 3, by I a spring 38 arranged in the bore 33. The spring 38 bears upon the end 36 of the plunger and on the handle member 32 where it crosses the. bore 33. A suitable plug 39 can be used to seal the outer end of the bore 33.

With the tool shown in Fig. 3, it will be apparent that the pin 3'! is moved inwardly in bringing the key portion 3! into operative position and, upon releasing pressure upon the key; the plunger pin 3'! will operate to automatically disengage the key from the chuck or other device.

In Fig. 4 of the drawing, I have shown what may be termed a female key, differing from the structure shown in Fig. 3, which may be termed a male key. In Fig. 4, 40 represents the body por-- tion of the key having a square, octagon or other irregular female key socket ll at one end portion thereof and a transverse handle member 2 at the other end portion thereof. In Fig. 4, a plunger 35', generally similar to the plunger 35, is employed and differs from the plunger 35 in that the pin end 3'! thereof is shorter and extends into the key socket M in the manner illustrated, a spring 38' serving to normally support the plunger in the extended position. With this structure, it will be understood that the plunger is moved inwardly against the action of the spring 38' in moving the key socket 4! into operative engagement with a key of a chuck or other device.

In all of the construction shown, yieldable plunger means are provided for automatically ejecting or displacing the key from the chuck or other tool in connection with which the key is used, after the key has. performed its normal function. It will also be apparent that the safety key is provided by simply modifying or revising the structure of more or less standard keys to, give to such keys the added feature of automatic ejection or displacement.

Having fully described my invention, What I I 4 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A key of the character described, comprising a body having a handle member at one end, a pin at the other end of said body, a key element adjacent said pin, a tensioned ejector member normally projecting beyond said element at the second named end of the body and slidable therein, said member being placed under tension upon movement of the key element of said body into operative position, said member being adapted to eject the key element from operative positionwhen pressure on said body is released, said key element comprising a pinion, and said member comprising a plunger normally arranged within limits. of and at one side of said pin and extending beyond the pinion and paralleling the axis of said pinion.

'2; A key structure of the character described, comprising a tubular key body having a large diameter bore opening through one endthereof andv a small diameter bore in axial alinement with thefirstbore and opening through the other end portion of said body, said bores being eccentric to the axis of said body, the last named end portion of said body having a key element, a plunger slidably mounted in. the bores of said body, the plunger having large and small diameter portions in said bores, a handle member transversing. the body adjacent the first named end thereof and forming a closure for said large diameter bore, a coil spring in the large diameter bore, between the plunger and said handle member, said spring being tensioned to normally project the small diameter of the plunger to a position beyond the. key element rendering engagement of the key element with a device inoperative and said plunger being movable against the action of said spring to bring the key element into operative position, said body having an axial pin projecting from said key element, and the outer surface of said pin having a groove registering with the small diameter bore and in which the small diameter portion of the plunger operates.

THOMAS J. DOSSIE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

